ASB Senate postpones Rock the Vote Bill

After a contentious and disorderly discussion Thursday, the Associated Student Body Student Senate postponed a bill to fund a program that would encourage participation in next month’s elections.

The Rock the Vote event is to encourage students to not only vote for the upcoming general elections, but to be involved in politics in general. According to the plan, free food is to be given to American River College students.

Jeremy Diefenbacher, who is the president of the ASB Clubs and Events Board, was vocal about how he is not convinced that giving free food to students is the best course of action in persuade students to vote.

“All of that money going to food to giving away is great, and it enriching the campus is great, but we need them to vote,” said Diefenbacher. “I would like to see something in this that is going to ensure that we are not wasting $10,000 on food that is not going to get us votes.”

Tamara Dunning, who is acting as ASB Student Senate president, said that she would not tolerate senators talking out of turn at another board meeting.

Dunning said that she has two options: she could call a recess, but if disruption behavior such as talking over other or passing notes during a board meeting continued, she could ask the senate board member to leave.

Garrett Kegel said that he believed the reason why Hylton wanted the term limits to be reconsidered is that the term limits would prevent Hylton from running for ASB Senate president.

A bill for the veterans awareness event was passed unanimously. The event is being held to raise awareness to veterans issues.

Hylton also took issue to Kegel saying that the one of the reasons why he proposed term limits is to prevent Jorge Riley from running again.

“To me, it is not our duty to prevent or chose who is eligible for the elections or for candidacy, that is the peoples’ right to chose who is recording them,” said Hylton.

Students will receive an email through the student email account from the school regarding the school’s current smoking policy, according to Dean of Student Development Manuel Perez.

The school will choose between one of three options: keep the current smoking policy, creating designated smoking locations similar to that of Sacramento City College or making American River College a smoke free campus.

ARC will implement any policy change during the Fall 2015 semester.

Kalynn Snyder was appointed to be a new senator.

“It’s my first meeting, so it was a lot more debate than I expected, but I enjoyed that as well to see the different sides of everything, and excited to be involved in that next time,” said Snyder.

Sen. Shayana Mendes was the only one who voted against appointing Snyder. Mendes asked Snyder in what experienced does Snyder have in advocating those who have disabilities.

Snyder said that she previously worked with children who had autism.

Mendes said she was offended with the word usage that Snyder used, such as describing individuals who have disabilities as having a “problem.”

1 Commenton "ASB Senate postpones Rock the Vote Bill"

IMHO, Less partisan people need to be involved in the process of government, even at community college level. Candidates should not run for office if they belong to a club in a position of authority to avoid bias and favoritism.